Microsoft And Nokia, Their Future Together

Despite Nokia’s recent losses, it’s amazing to see how its partnership with Microsoft secured a place around the Smartphone table. And now with Windows 8 just around the corner, industry sources put their expectations high.Just to clear the picture regarding the Nokia and Microsoft partnership: the phone maker received a $750 million bank check from Microsoft as its share for its Windows Phone participation. This strongly suggests that maybe Microsoft’s hard work and investment is inching towards expected results: the WP user base is growing, and is tied to Nokia’s name, while the other Smartphone manufacturers (HTC and Samsung) are paying more attention to the more developed Android market.

Now, looking at the numbers reported by Localytics: the Windows Phone handset user base running the analytic firm’s app has grown by 312% during the first six months of 2012, and Nokia has secured its position as THE Windows Phone manufacturer, with 59% of all WP devices seen in July.

The negative reviews didn’t stop Nokia from taking the larger piece of the WP market in the US, courtesy of its Lumia devices: during the first half of 2012, Nokia’s share went from zero percent up to 32% of all WP devices sold in the US, while Samsung took only 26%. The biggest chunk belongs to HTC with 36%. The result: Nokia’s handset contributed to a 273% increase in active WP handsets in the country.

The next big step is the upcoming Windows 8: the Finnish manufacturer is expected to introduce its first Windows 8-powered handsets at a September 5 event. It remains to be seen whether Nokia and Microsoft have listened to their customers like Apple does in its own unique way [Via Localytics. Image Courtesy of Localytics].